Aria the Natural #19: That Crybaby…/That Young Girl’s Heart…

In the language of flowers, the sunflower signifies pride. The bold color and large head stand above all other flowers. But have you seen a sunflower in the shade? Without the bright light of the sun, its head sags and petals curl in. Pride is easily injured.

Aika’s forceful personality comes out when she’s with Akari and Alice. Left alone, however, her self-discipline slips as she sneaks out to play. That’s when she wilts like a sunflower and begins to doubt herself. She says that others depend on her, but it’s really Aika who depends on them for her confidence.

Akari and Alice are very dependable friends. What Aika didn’t consider was the lasting effect of her encouragement. The other girls are able to do well because they don’t want to disappoint Aika. They know that Aika tries the hardest and that motivates them. Pride can be a weakness but also a strength. For Akari, she wants to improve as an undine so Aika will be proud of her. The best kind of confidence comes from what you can do to help other people, and that’s something worth taking pride in.

And the best kind of friends are those who bring you pudding. (With whipped cream on top.)

Aika’s fragile pride is weakest when it comes to Al. Akari is motivated by wanting to look good in front of Aika, and so Aika tries to look good in front of Al. The influence of Akira brings out a masculinity in her usual behavior. But at heart, she’s a young girl who wants the man she loves to tell her she’s beautiful.

This encounter shows that Al and Aika have grown closer since the night of the meteor shower. There was a time when Al seemed oblivious to Aika’s feelings. But he doesn’t mince words about what he thinks of her new hairstyle. (A bit too enthusiastic, I thought.) Al understands Aika, he knows that compliments make her happy and will give her as many as she desires.

The episode for next week is Aria the Natural #6: The Smile Reflected In That Mirror…

Edit: Something I forgot to mention. This week, you can watch Aria the Animation on YouTube.